Sand
by rainieg
Summary: Hermione and Marcus go to the beach.


"_Please?"_

That one innocent word had him stomping through a sand pit, which was masquerading as a beach, surrounded by _Muggles_.

It was not necessarily the meaning of the word, but more about how it was asked and the person who had done the asking. With those big brown eyes and small smile, he would agree to anything to make her happy.

He was afraid that one day he would be taking a long walk off a short dock, but for her… he would.

Walking through the throng of all the smiling, sunbathing people, Marcus sneered praying to any God who would listen that Hermione would find a spot and soon.

Marcus did not like the beach for many reasons: he was prone to burning, for one, he did not like to swim in the ocean for another, and in his opinion, there were always far too many people running about.

However, the number one reason Marcus disliked the beach was the sand. He despised the stuff! It got in the bags, the food, your hair, your bathing suit, and once it was on you nothing short of a miracle was getting it off, and since this was a Muggle beach Marcus could not use any form of Repellent Charm.

"Just pick a spot already," Marcus snapped.

"Okay, Okay, Grumpy Gus. I guess here will do," Hermione said with a nod of her head.

Marcus dropped their stuff and made quick work of setting up the umbrella and chairs. Wasting no more time, Marcus dove under the umbrella in hopes of getting away from the blazing sun.

Marcus could hear a breathy laugh coming from the other side of the umbrella as a shirt and pair of shorts were tossed into the vacant chair next to him. "Laugh all you want, Hermione, but you know I burn easily."

Hermione dropped to her knees, pulling out a bottle of sunscreen and waved it around. "Yes, but I brought sunscreen, so your skin is safe."

Marcus reached for the sun block and began applying it in liberal amounts to his exposed flesh. He could see Hermione's body shaking in suppressed laughter as she rested on her knees in front of him. He narrowed his eyes at her and scowled.

"Aw, Marcus, don't make faces like that at me, I know you don't like the beach but I promise to make it up to you when we got home," Hermione said with a soft smile

"Can we go now?" Marcus asked, slightly hopeful.

"But we've only just arrived!" Hermione said, as she turned her back to him.

Marcus frowned as he pushed her hair off one shoulder and began applying the cold lotion to her bare back. Her breathing hitched and she moaned.

He loved that he elect those little sounds from his witch, but before he could move any further in his exploration, she hopped up and out from under the umbrella.

Marcus grumbled, wiping his hands on his towel, settling back in his chair and looking around at all the people milling about in the sand and water.

"I am going to go for a swim. Want to join me?" Hermione asked with a slight bounce to her step.

"No, you gone on," Marcus said adjusting his glasses on his face.

"Okay, but your loss," Hermione said walking towards the water.

Marcus watched Hermione stop just at the edge of the water and toe the sand, after a quick nod of her head she took off at a run and dove under the water once she was deep enough. Marcus chuckled. She performed almost the same ritual before jumping into their pool at home.

Marcus felt lucky to have even snagged a witch such as Hermione. It had been a little over five years since that day Potter asked him to be her escort for the Potter-Parkinson rehearsal dinner and then to the wedding the following day.

He and Potter had become friends, as they played for the same Quidditch team. Potter and Pansy began dating shortly after Potter started in the league and it did not take long before an engagement was announced. Thus, Pansy and Hermione had become fast friends so it was no surprise when Hermione was asked to stand with Pansy at the wedding.

Marcus had agreed to be her escort, albeit reluctantly, and arrived at her door twenty minutes before the rehearsal dinner. What he did not expect was the beauty that opened the door.

**That night was the start of a whirlwind relationship. She was too trusting, and he did not trust enough. She wore her emotions out in the open, and his were almost non-existent. She put up with his moods, his possessiveness and over all Slytherin ****machinations. He put up with her bossiness, her know-it-all attitude and her Gryffindor bluntness. Their fights were legendary amongst their friends as was their make-ups. **

Marcus was pulled from his musing by a cold, wet witch wiggling into his lap.

"What are you doing? You're all wet," Marcus said, wrapping a towel around Hermione.

"Sorry. You just looked so warm and dry," Hermione said, standing up to dry off.

"Would you like a sandwich?" Marcus asked, while digging through the cooler.

"Yes, please," Hermione replied, adjusting her towel on her chair and sitting down.

After passing a sandwich to Hermione, Marcus sat back to begin eating. As he brought the sandwich to his mouth, a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned towards the movement just as a ball bounced off the sand and slammed straight into Marcus's mouth.

"Mfuwa Fwka!" Marcus shouted, jumping to his feet immediately banging his head on the umbrella and knocking it over.

Hermione jumped up and ran to his side, moving his hands from over his mouth and probing the swollen lip. Leaning down, she grabbed up his towel and dabbed at the blood trickling down his chin. The owner of the ball finally made his way over, apologizing profusely and trying to see the damage.

"OUCH! Oh, I am covered in sand!" Marcus shouted.

"Stop being a baby! You have taken harder hits playing… uh… your profession. Besides, we will get the sand off, so stop worrying!" Hermione replied, eyeing the Muggle.

"I am so sorry!" the stranger replied.

"You should-"

"It's okay," Hermione interrupted.

"He should be fine after we ice it. He won't even need…uh…. stitches," Hermione said, trying to calm Marcus before he got started in on the hapless stranger.

"Are you sure?" the stranger asked.

"Yes we are fine. We will just head home right now and apply ice," Hermione said, gathering their things.

Marcus jerked his head up. "We are leaving?"

"Yes, we should head home before that lip swells anymore," Hermione answered.

Marcus took a step towards the stranger, who took a slight, safe step back, jumping when Marcus grabbed his hand and shook it. "No harm done! We will just be on our way. Have a good day!" Marcus said, a little too cheerfully for having a busted lip.

Hermione grabbed up the towels, shook out the sand and packed them back in the bag. She then put her shorts and shirt back on. Marcus picked up the discarded sandwiches, threw them into the cooler, and slammed the lid. He then scooped up the fallen umbrella, closed it, and then shoved it into the sheath, throwing the strap over his shoulder. He hauled up their chairs and cooler and began walking swiftly towards the abandoned beach house they used to Apparate to and from. Hermione ran trying to catch up with his quick strides while not stepping on anybody sunbathing.

"Marcus, when we get home I will heal that lip and then you can take a shower while I clean off the chairs and cooler, okay?" Hermione stated, finally catching up.

Marcus grunted in reply, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the abandoned house. He quickly Apparated them into their living room.

Hermione pulled her wand out of the beach bag and pointed it at his lip, healing it instantly. Once healed, Marcus took their cooler to the kitchen, while Hermione took their bag to the laundry and began unloading the towels to be washed.

After putting the cooler in the kitchen, Marcus took the umbrella and chairs outside to be cleaned off later. Taking his shoes off by the back door, he then began to make his way towards the bathroom leaving a trail of clothes in his wake.

"Hermione, leave the clothes! Soot will take care of it. We do pay her for her services, so let her service, woman," Marcus shouted, from the bathroom, hoping his wayward girlfriend would finally listen.

"Sure, Marcus, let me just hang my morals and scruples on the coat rack," Hermione said, while picking up the discarded clothes.

Marcus snorted at her response while adjusting the temperature to the right degree and then stepped under the spray hoping to scrub away the sand that he just knew was in every crack and crevice. He just hoped Hermione made good on her promise to make it up to him.

Marcus closed his eyes and turned his back towards the spray, leaning his head back letting the water run down his body. He did not hear the door open or the shower door opening and closing.

Marcus quickly opened his eyes, looking down when he felt something brush his waist. What he saw made his breath hitch.

"I did promise to make it up to you, right?" Hermione asked, as she made herself comfortable on her knees and took him into her mouth.

Marcus's last thought was: maybe sand was not that bad.

**A/N Thanks to all who read and review. This came about from a prompt by Solas_Divided, what was supposed to be a drabble got more words than expected. Huge thanks goes to Solas_Divided, if not for her then this would not have any commas at all as well as the other things she fixed, she is one busy awesome lady. Thanks!**


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